The sad state of Chicago baseball
By Ken Rosenthal - The Sporting News

"Erstad would bring energy; the Sox nearly acquired him last offseason before the Angels nixed a proposed trade. An outfield of Erstad, Ordonez and rookie Joe Borchard could become one of the best in the AL. The middle-infield defense might be dicey if Willie Harris is at second and Jose Valentin at short, but another young player, Joe Crede, would provide solid defense at third."

dougs78

07-29-2002, 02:24 PM

just read it. Good article, thanks for pointing it out. Maybe we could afford Erstad next year with all the payroll we are dumping. I'd still definitely like to see a new starter or 2 though. If we can still clearn Royce and maybe Howry, that would cut off about 25 million from this year's payroll. I know PK, Maggs and buehrle are due for a raise, but that would seem to leave at least 15 million to dabble in the FA pool.

Lets just hope that they don't just "keep the change" on this stuff. I'd like to think Erstad could be in our price range and that maybe 1 actually solid pitcher as well.

Man, it sucks to be talking about next year in July.... :(:

TornLabrum

07-29-2002, 02:28 PM

Originally posted by dougs78
Man, it sucks to be talking about next year in July.... :(:

It could be worse. Cubs fans have been talking about next year since May 1...or at least the ones with more than half a brain have...both of them. :cool:

chisoxfanatic

07-29-2002, 02:36 PM

Originally posted by dougs78
I know PK, Maggs and buehrle are due for a raise, but that would seem to leave at least 15 million to dabble in the FA pool.

I don't think you have to worry about Maggs' contract. I believe he signed a 4-year extension last offseason.

Heather the Redbird

Iwritecode

07-29-2002, 02:40 PM

Originally posted by TornLabrum
It could be worse. Cubs fans have been talking about next year since May 1...or at least the ones with more than half a brain have...both of them. :cool:

OK, there's Vic and... uh... I'm at a loss here...

:D:

dougs78

07-29-2002, 02:52 PM

Originally posted by chisoxfanatic

I don't think you have to worry about Maggs' contract. I believe he signed a 4-year extension last offseason.

Heather the Redbird

not sure of the length of the contract, but i'm pretty sure Maggs' jumps from about 6 mil to 10 million next year. Its a backloaded contract.

Daver

07-29-2002, 02:58 PM

Originally posted by dougs78

not sure of the length of the contract, but i'm pretty sure Maggs' jumps from about 6 mil to 10 million next year. Its a backloaded contract.

You pretty well have to think of it as 10mil/year for 3 yrs and he's earned that with his play compared to others in that price range.

guillen4life13

07-29-2002, 06:35 PM

yeah. i just was under the impression that he was gettin 6.5 thru 2004.

yeah he's earned it. i just hope to god he doesn't have a down year in the next 2.

idseer

07-29-2002, 07:11 PM

Originally posted by guillen4life13
yeah. i just was under the impression that he was gettin 6.5 thru 2004.

yeah he's earned it. i just hope to god he doesn't have a down year in the next 2.

that would be a good thing! think how much cheaper he'll be to re-sign!

cornball

07-29-2002, 07:16 PM

Although i would love to see Erstad, I believe his agent is Boras....is that true?

The other thing to just ponder for a sec is if the trade (for Erstad) originally went thru...we would still have Fogg and K Wells

Jerry_Manuel

07-29-2002, 07:25 PM

Originally posted by cornball
Although i would love to see Erstad, I believe his agent is Boras....is that true?

The other thing to just ponder for a sec is if the trade (for Erstad) originally went thru...we would still have Fogg and K Wells

I don't think his agent is Boras. Williams said they would've attempted to resign him if that deal went down. The Sox usually don't even try and talk with Boras.

Williams has also said that he still would've made that Ritchie trade. I find that very hard to believe.

Daver

07-29-2002, 07:28 PM

Originally posted by Jerry_Manuel

I don't think his agent is Boras. Williams said they would've attempted to resign him if that deal went down. The Sox usually don't even try and talk with Boras.

Williams has also said that he still would've made that Ritchie trade. I find that very hard to believe.

Erstad is most likely going to sign a contract extension with Annaheim anyway.

Jerry_Manuel

07-29-2002, 07:31 PM

Originally posted by daver
Erstad is most likely going to sign a contract extension with Annaheim anyway.

With the success their having, I don't see why he wouldn't.

Chisox_cali

07-29-2002, 07:35 PM

Originally posted by Jerry_Manuel

With the success their having, I don't see why he wouldn't.

Team Disney may not like that the team is 17th in attendence. Hell look at the other talent they let go like Jim Edmounds.

Daver

07-29-2002, 07:36 PM

Originally posted by Chisox_cali

Team Disney may not like that the team is 17th in attendence. Hell look at the other talent they let go like Jim Edmounds.

Disney is desperate to sell,re-signing a fan favorite only helps add to the value of the team.

cornball

07-29-2002, 07:38 PM

i believe Erstad will resign too....i also heard the same about I-Rod

Come to think of it ......if you were a talented free agent would you sign with the Sox....the last impact FA we got were Fisk and the Bull and that was before we knew too much about JR....

Chisox_cali

07-29-2002, 07:39 PM

Originally posted by daver

Disney is desperate to sell,re-signing a fan favorite only helps add to the value of the team.

Who knows what he'll be asking for though

Daver

07-29-2002, 07:42 PM

Originally posted by Chisox_cali

Who knows what he'll be asking for though

That makes no difference to a team that is selling,you recoup it as soon as the team is sold and it is the new owners problem.

Randar68

07-29-2002, 07:47 PM

Originally posted by daver

That makes no difference to a team that is selling,you recoup it as soon as the team is sold and it is the new owners problem.

However, on the flipside, many new buyers don't want to have any long-term financial commitments on the books either.

Daver

07-29-2002, 07:49 PM

Originally posted by Randar68

However, on the flipside, many new buyers don't want to have any long-term financial commitments on the books either.

Under the 60/40 rule they are an asset.

cornball

07-29-2002, 08:13 PM

Daver .....can you explain to me how the Expos who started the season with a almost 39MM payroll....added Colon and Floyd.....have no attendance....no local tv or radio money to speak of..........and we are tapped out we we are....doesnt make sense.. I understand the traded some dollars but still a 40MM payroll under those circumstances......i dont get it.....they should make the Sox look like the Yankees

longshot7

07-29-2002, 08:16 PM

Originally posted by cornball
Come to think of it ......the last impact FA we got were Fisk and the Bull and that was before we knew too much about JR....

ummm....... hello Albert Belle.

cornball

07-29-2002, 08:19 PM

True.....Albert...and he came for the cash....was a jackass....and further proof why a FA would want to come here if several offers were tendered

Daver

07-29-2002, 08:24 PM

Originally posted by cornball
Daver .....can you explain to me how the Expos who started the season with a almost 39MM payroll....added Colon and Floyd.....have no attendance....no local tv or radio money to speak of..........and we are tapped out we we are....doesnt make sense.. I understand the traded some dollars but still a 40MM payroll under those circumstances......i dont get it.....they should make the Sox look like the Yankees

They traded away almost completely one of the better farm systems in all of MLB,and sent the responisibility for the signing bonuses for those picks to the tradees.Their payroll has not changed at all,but their farm system is now in a class with the Dodgers farm system,and that is hard to do considering that Danny Evans is spending what little the Dodgers had in the minors to win now.

What MLB has allowed to happen in Montreal is a crime,because they are not goiung to be able to contract this team,so whoever buys it is going to get a shell of a team with no farm system that is going to be terrible unless the buyer has Steinbrenner type money.

viagracat

07-29-2002, 09:35 PM

Originally posted by TornLabrum

It could be worse. Cubs fans have been talking about next year since May 1...or at least the ones with more than half a brain have...both of them. :cool:

Not to hear the Chimp say it. If the Cubs can win their next 12 in a row...yada, yada, yada. Last night's loss might even shut him up. Maybe. :smile: